Teen, 13, calls 911, helps catch thieves

A 13-year-old's 911 call from a closet helped sheriff's deputies and state troopers catch one of two alleged thieves Monday.

The teen was alone at his home on Everett Road at about 11 a.m., when someone kicked in the door. He told deputies that he ran into the closet when he heard the break-in, and stayed there throughout the robbery, managing to alert authorities from his hiding place.

When the trooper arrived at the home, the officer said he saw the suspects fleeing the area.

"I saw a vehicle pulling out of the backyard," Trooper Justin Creech said.

At first the men didn't stop, but soon pulled over onto the shoulder of the road. Creech said the two men then fled on foot.

Wayne County Sheriff's Office Deputy Martin Mcalduff and his K-9 officer, Shelly, were called to the scene and executed an hour-long manhunt.

"The Sheriff's Office brought out their dog and a helicopter, and in about 45 minutes to an hour they found one of them lying down in the woods," Creech said.

Linwood Legrande West, 20, of Mount Olive, was arrested. The second suspect, believed to have been armed, is still at large. Because the investigation is ongoing, no further details have been released.

Meanwhile, deputies were inside, clearing the house.

The boy was found, still in the closet, shaken but unharmed.

The car the suspects had abandoned was searched, and the stolen items recovered.

West was charged with breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, and possession of stolen property. He was initially held under a $65,000 secured bond, but another $15,000 was added on due to two outstanding warrants he had for other charges.